Wikipedia

Scotty James

For other people named Scott James, see Scott James (disambiguation).

Scott James (born 6 July 1994) is an Australian snowboarder and four-time Olympian.[4] He was the flag bearer for Australia at the 2018 Winter Olympics, where he won a bronze medal in the halfpipe.

Scotty James
Personal information
NationalityAustralian
Born (1994-07-06) 6 July 1994 (age 30)
Warrandyte, Victoria, Australia
EducationSouthwood Boys Grammar[1]
OccupationProfessional halfpipe snowboarder
Height1.88 m (6 ft 2 in)[2]
Weight75 kg (165 lb)
Spouse
​
(m. 2023)​
Relatives
Websiteshop.scottyjames31.com
Sport
CountryAustralia
SportSnowboarding
Rank4th Overall (FIS World Cup Standings) 2nd Halfpipe (FIS World Cup Standings)
Event(s)Half-pipe, Superpipe
Coached byTim James
Abe Teter[3]
Medal record
Men's snowboarding
Representing  Australia
Olympic Games
Silver medal – second place 2022 Beijing Halfpipe
Bronze medal – third place 2018 Pyeongchang Halfpipe
World Championships
Gold medal – first place 2015 Kreischberg Halfpipe
Gold medal – first place 2017 Sierra Nevada Halfpipe
Gold medal – first place 2019 Utah Halfpipe
Silver medal – second place 2021 Aspen Halfpipe
Winter X Games
Gold medal – first place 2017 Aspen SuperPipe
Gold medal – first place 2019 Aspen SuperPipe
Gold medal – first place 2020 Aspen SuperPipe
Gold medal – first place 2022 Aspen SuperPipe
Gold medal – first place 2023 Aspen SuperPipe


Silver medal – second place 2018 Aspen SuperPipe
Silver medal – second place 2021 Aspen SuperPipe
Bronze medal – third place 2016 Aspen SuperPipe
Bronze medal – third place 2017 Aspen Dual slalom
FIS Snowboard World Cup
Winner 2013-14 Global Halfpipe
Winner 2016-17 Global Halfpipe
Winner 2019-20 Global Halfpipe
Winner 2019-20 Global Overall
Third place 2013-14 Global Overall
Laax Open
Gold medal – first place 2019 Laax Halfpipe
Gold medal – first place 2020 Laax Halfpipe
Silver medal – second place 2017 Laax Halfpipe
Silver medal – second place 2021 Laax Halfpipe
Silver medal – second place 2023 Laax Halfpipe
U.S. Snowboarding Grand Prix
Gold medal – first place 2018 Copper Mountain Halfpipe
Gold medal – first place 2019 Copper Mountain Halfpipe
Gold medal – first place 2022 Copper Mountain Halfpipe
Burton U.S. Open
Gold medal – first place 2019 Vail Halfpipe
Bronze medal – third place 2020 Vail Halfpipe
Bronze medal – third place 2018 Vail Halfpipe
Dew Tour
Gold medal – first place 2018 Breckenridge SuperPipe
Gold medal – first place 2020 Breckenridge SuperPipe
Silver medal – second place 2017 Breckenridge SuperPipe
Bronze medal – third place 2014 Breckenridge Halfpipe

Career

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James's began riding at age three and his first snowboard was a display board in a shop in Vancouver. James and his father had trouble finding a board small enough for him, so they bought the display board for $10.[5] He began competing at age six and started travelling for competitions at 10 years old. At the time, Europe and America were the main locations for snowboarding training and competitions. His mother accompanied him on the road, homeschooling him and providing tutors when needed. James has stated, "There's been a lot of sacrifice from my parents to get me here — and I'm very grateful."[6] Due to his success at a young age, James began to be viewed by media and peers as a snowboarding prodigy.[7]

He moved from racing into halfpipe and slopestyle events, making his international debut as a 14-year-old at the 2008 Europa Cup in Saas Fee, Switzerland. When Australian Nathan Johnstone was ruled out of the 2010 Winter Olympics with an ankle injury, James went to the World Cup event in Stoneham, Canada, to try to achieve the top-19 result that would make him eligible to replace Johnstone at the Olympics. He pulled off his best result to date, a 15th-place finish, which secured him a spot in the 2010 Winter Olympics in Vancouver. At the age of 15, James was Australia's youngest male Olympian in 50 years and the youngest male competitor at the Vancouver Games.[8] While training for the halfpipe event in Vancouver, James caught his heel-edge and slapped against the wall, fracturing his right wrist. Despite the injury, James competed in the event, finishing 21st.[9]

From early 2011 to 2012, all of James' World Cup results in Halfpipe, Slopestyle and Big Air climbed into the top ten territory.[9]

Competing at the last event of the 2013/14 season before the Sochi Games, James won his first World Cup event medal, a bronze in the halfpipe. He also finished in the top 10 at two other World Cup events that season. His results and points earned him the World Cup Title in Halfpipe for the first time in his career and made James the #1 ranked halfpipe rider in the world at just 19 years old.[9]

James won the bronze medal in the men's halfpipe competition at the 2018 Winter Olympics in PyeongChang, behind Shaun White of the United States gold medal in the event and Ayumu Hirano of Japan's silver.[10] He won a silver in the men's halfpipe competition in Beijing 2022 Winter Olympics.[11]

In December 2022, James earned a near-perfect score of 99.00 on his second run in the men's final of the U.S. Snowboarding Grand Prix. It was the second-highest score in the history of International Ski and Snowboard Federation events.[12] The highest, a 100.00, was awarded to Shaun White at the 2018 Aspen Snowmass halfpipe event. The 99.00 score was the highest ever earned by James in a halfpipe event. His run started with a switch McTwist Japan with massive amplitude that caused audible gasps from the crowd, into a cab 1440 stalefish, frontside 1080 tail grab, cab 900 indy, and ending with a switch backside double cork 1260 indy.[12]

At the 2023 X Games in Aspen, Colorado, James won his fifth career gold medal in the halfpipe event.[13]

At the 2023 World Championships in Bakuriani, Georgia, James was unable to land on the podium and finished in 5th place with a score of 86.50.[14]

Cryptocurrency

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In October 2022, OKX, a cryptocurrency exchange, announced that James would be an influencer for OKX.[15]

Personal life

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James grew up in Warrandyte, Victoria and is a keen golfer and skateboarder. He attended secondary school at Southwood Boys Grammar (now part of Tintern Grammar).

James dated American model, Ivy Miller, from 2016 to 2018.[16] In 2019, James began dating Canadian heiress and singer, Chloe Stroll. Stroll's brother, F1 driver Lance Stroll, introduced the two, stating to Chloe Stroll at the time, “I think I just found the guy you're going to marry.”[17] James and Stroll became engaged in 2021 and married in May 2023.[18][19][20] The couple currently reside together in Monaco, giving James quick access to halfpipe training grounds in Saas-Fee, Switzerland and the French Alps.[21][22]

James is good friends with fellow Australian, F1 driver Daniel Ricciardo.[6] He is also a cousin of AFL player Marc Pittonet.[23]

James is a passionate Essendon Football Club supporter.[24]

Awards

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In 2018, James became the first snowboarder to win the VIS Award of Excellence.[25] The Victorian Institute of Sport's Award of Excellence honours the athlete who has achieved outstanding sporting results at major events during the year while contributing to the promotion and development of their sport and/or made a significant contribution to society beyond pure sporting performance.[25] James earned the award for being an active role model and mentor within his sport, as well as a great ambassador for winter sports and the sporting community.[25] He played an active leadership role within the newly structured National Park & Pipe Program, which targeted young athletes with the potential to be medal contenders at the Beijing 2022 Olympic Winter Games.[25] James worked closely with the Olympic Winter Institute of Australia and Mt Buller to secure the best possible national training facility for Halfpipe in Victoria, Australia, and he spent considerable time and effort to assist with the project.[25]

Year Award Awarding Organization Result Ref.
2015 Athlete of the Year Snow Australia Won [26]
2017 Athlete of the Year Snow Australia Won [26]
2018 Award of Excellence Victorian Institute of Sport Won [27]
2019 Male Athlete of the Year Australian Institute of Sport Awards Won [28]
Award of Excellence Victorian Institute of Sport Won [27]
Best Male Action Sports Athlete ESPY Award Nominated [29]
2020 Athlete of the Year Snow Australia Won [26]

References

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  1. ^ "Scotty James". Archived from the original on 17 April 2022. Retrieved 13 February 2018.
  2. ^ "Scotty James". sochi2014.olympics.com.au. Australian Olympic Committee. Archived from the original on 10 March 2014. Retrieved 7 February 2014.
  3. ^ "Scotty James grabs bronze and World Cup Title : News : Australian Sports Commission". Archived from the original on 26 February 2014. Retrieved 23 February 2014.
  4. ^ "Scotty James". Australian Olympic Team. 2022. Archived from the original on 10 February 2022. Retrieved 9 February 2022.
  5. ^ "Red Bull Media House Webhosting". Retrieved 1 March 2013.
  6. ^ a b Journal, The Gentleman's. "The cool runnings of Scotty James". The Gentleman's Journal. Retrieved 29 January 2023.
  7. ^ Cullen, Glenn (17 February 2010). "Australian snowboarder Scott James fractures wrist but will continue to compete at Winter Olympics". Retrieved 28 January 2023.
  8. ^ Britteny Cox and Scott James prove size is no barrier at Winter Olympics
  9. ^ a b c "Scotty James". Olympic Winter Institute of Australia. Archived from the original on 29 January 2023. Retrieved 29 January 2023.
  10. ^ "@abcgrandstand" on Twitter
  11. ^ Matthey, James (11 February 2022). "'Should be arrested': Olympic scandal erupts". news.com.au. Archived from the original on 17 February 2022. Retrieved 11 February 2022.
  12. ^ a b Bruton, Michelle. "Scotty James Earns Near-Perfect 99.00 Score In Men's Snowboard Halfpipe Final At U.S. Grand Prix". Forbes. Archived from the original on 29 January 2023. Retrieved 29 January 2023.
  13. ^ OlympicTalk (28 January 2023). "Scotty James wins fifth X Games snowboard halfpipe title". OlympicTalk | NBC Sports. Archived from the original on 30 March 2023. Retrieved 23 May 2023.
  14. ^ "Men's Snowboard Halfpipe – Overall Results" (PDF). FIS. 3 March 2023. Retrieved 3 March 2023.
  15. ^ OKX (3 October 2022). "Four-time Olympian Scotty James partners with OKX". GlobeNewswire News Room (Press release). Archived from the original on 3 October 2022. Retrieved 3 October 2022.
  16. ^ "Scotty James' insider guide to San Diego". Red Bull. Archived from the original on 28 January 2023. Retrieved 28 January 2023.
  17. ^ "Snowboard Champ Scotty James Engaged to Canadian F1 Heiress Chloe Stroll". Herald Sun. 29 November 2021. Archived from the original on 20 May 2023. Retrieved 28 January 2023.
  18. ^ Patterson, Charmaine (1 December 2021). "Pro Snowboarder Scotty James Is Engaged to F1 Heiress Chloe Stroll: 'Forever'". People. Archived from the original on 30 December 2021. Retrieved 30 December 2021.
  19. ^ Patterson, Charmaine (1 December 2021). "Inside Scotty James and Chloe Stroll's sweet love story". Who. Archived from the original on 3 October 2022. Retrieved 3 October 2022.
  20. ^ Morgan, Riley (16 May 2023). "Aussie Olympian Scotty James marries F1 heiress in glamorous wedding". Yahoo Sports. Archived from the original on 16 May 2023. Retrieved 16 May 2023.
  21. ^ London to Monaco | My Training Regime and New Home, 9 September 2021, archived from the original on 28 January 2023, retrieved 28 January 2023
  22. ^ "'I wanted to quit': How Scotty James lost his passion for snowboarding and then rediscovered it". ABC News. 25 June 2022. Archived from the original on 29 January 2023. Retrieved 29 January 2023.
  23. ^ "An Olympian sounding board: Pittonet on family and fans". carltonfc.com.au. 6 August 2023. Archived from the original on 9 December 2023. Retrieved 9 December 2023.
  24. ^ Scotty James's Day at the NEC Hangar, 30 March 2023, retrieved 9 December 2023
  25. ^ a b c d e "Scotty James Wins Highest VIS Honour". Victorian Institute of Sport. 2018. Archived from the original on 9 February 2022. Retrieved 9 February 2022.
  26. ^ a b c "Snow Australia Awards". Snow Australia. 2022. Archived from the original on 9 February 2022. Retrieved 9 February 2022.
  27. ^ a b "Scotty James". Victorian Institute of Sport. 2022. Archived from the original on 9 February 2022. Retrieved 9 February 2022.
  28. ^ "Barty Party continues at the AIS Awards". Sport Australia. 10 December 2019. Archived from the original on 10 December 2019. Retrieved 11 December 2019.
  29. ^ "Vote in the ESPYS". ESPN. 20 June 2019. Archived from the original on 9 February 2022. Retrieved 9 February 2022.
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